CALTRAIN has warned that the viability of its project to electrify the 83.7km San Jose - San Francisco line may be in jeopardy after newly-appointed United States Transportation Secretary Mrs Elaine Chao ordered the Federal Transit Administration to defer federal funding for the project.

THE first of 215 S200 SF LRVs for San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) was unveiled at Muni Metro East Maintenance Facility on January 13, just hours after completing its road journey from Siemens’ Sacramento plant.

CALIFORNIA High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) released a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) on December 16 for a contract to manage initial operation of its high-speed rail network.

A ground breaking ceremony was held in California on November 29 for the $US 700m five-year first phase of the 40-year $US 6bn North Coast Corridor (NCC) infrastructure improvement project.

SIEMENS announced on November 1 that it has received an order for 45 new S70 LRVs from San Diego Metropolitan Transit System, expanding their 35-year-long partnership.

CALIFORNIA High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) has revised guidelines for platform lengths on the state’s high-speed network after deciding that services will be operated by single train sets formed of up to 10 cars.

THE extension of the Los Angeles light rail network to Montclair moved a step closer to construction on September 28, when the board of the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority approved draft advanced conceptual engineering documents for the 19.8km line from Azusa.

THE California State Transport Agency (Calsta) announced on August 16 the 14 recipients for the $US 390m 2016 Transit and Intercity Capital Programme (TIRCP) grants, $US 374m of which will be invested in rail.

CALTRAIN, which operates the San Francisco - San Jose commuter rail line in California, has awarded contracts to Stadler Rail for new trains and Balfour Beatty to electrify the 83.7km line.